Replacement Fiber optics A bust??

[jmpenny32]

Hey everyone, I am still working very hard to produce these replacement fiber optic sprays but I have to say this has been more difficult than I had ever anticipated. Today was the second attempt at a practice spray and while practice makes perfect I am no hair dresser and am not terribly impressed with the final product...your thoughts please! What should I do

[jmpenny32]

Here are the before and after photos, the first two are of what I have to work with, this is how it started before shaping had taken place....

[jmpenny32]

One last after photo

[Erin]

OMG the before pictures crack me up! So funny! 

So, what is it that you don't like about them afterwards? I don't think they look bad at all. 

How are you cutting them? Are you cutting them while they are upright or upside down?

[The Blob]

Couldn't advise how to cut them, but I found this interesting tidbit which came from George Stadnik, who was a designer at Fantasia Products from 1979 to 1983:

"Fantasia lamps were hand trimmed. Essentially they were given haircuts to bring them into the shapes you see. They hired women who worked in beauty parlors and cutting salons to trim the fiber to correct length. The weight of the glass and the length of the glass fiber determined the arc of the curve in the  "spray". (The term used for the glass fiber bundle.)

The trimming was done in a dark room off the production floor. The untrimmed sprays would be placed into the lamp fixtures that would rotate slowly as the women trimmed the sprays with electric hair clippers. It was an art to be sure."

[Kirk]

Joe- don't give up.  Sorry, I can't offer any more concrete advice, but don't give up.  It looks like you couldn't get the spray to have some lift in the center unless you cut it too short?  Maybe try again and not so short this time?

[jmpenny32]

I have been in contact with George Stadnik for a few weeks now and I am pretty well up to speed on everything I need as far as info and materials. The fiber optic company kinda screwed me on the first run of fiber, A very important element that I needed to know about and be made aware of was not told to me by them, Its workable but I have all this fiber optics purchased I can not just toss it in the trash, The next run will be better...Whats happening is I have been shapimg the sprays with the fiber optic scissors in the dark...I need to be using clippers, but I havent yet for two reasons, one is because I need to find a decent pair that will hold up, I know I will need to change out blades but I dont want to kill the clippers. And two those pieces of fibers being cut go flying EVERYWHERE!! I threw out a shirt today because of little fibers all over me. I have safety suits to wear but not in a work garage in 98 degree heat with no A/C.

Lastly, I am sucking really bad at trimming the spray into the shape it needs to be in, I have two hairstylists waiting to help me but I keep doing it without them..lol If I can perfect that I will be fine but I end up cutting too much off and hacking them...Practice will make perfect, I guess I will keep going on them until I get it, I just need to figure out the finess part of it or have my hair dressers do it, I got everything else down but the shaping!

[jmpenny32]

Thanks Kirk, I certainly will keep trying for now, I just hope to nail it one of these times...and soon!, By the way your package shipped out early this morning.

Kirk said:

Joe- don't give up.  Sorry, I can't offer any more concrete advice, but don't give up.  It looks like you couldn't get the spray to have some lift in the center unless you cut it too short?  Maybe try again and not so short this time?

[Erin]

You're definitely heading in the right direction - don't give up! :) I was just in contact with a company that sells glass fiber optics and was about to purchase some myself, but it looks like a real pain. Would be cool to mess around with if it weren't for the glass splinters (I've had many already!). 

[jmpenny32]

Thanks Erin....I can sell you some fiber optics and the info you would need to do it, however you need a seperate designated work area, the fumes from the Alcohol and epoxy is strong as anything and those fibers you will want contained in an area....Its definetly an involved process! Let me know :-)

[Erin]

Hmmm, knowing it takes alcohol and epoxy - maybe not! I have the work space, but if YOU'RE struggling with it, I know I will. 

jmpenny32 said:

Thanks Erin....I can sell you some fiber optics and the info you would need to do it, however you need a seperate designated work area, the fumes from the Alcohol and epoxy is strong as anything and those fibers you will want contained in an area....Its definetly an involved process! Let me know :-)

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

One thing that might be interesting to try would be a cardboard template of the shape you want - or half of it, anyway - to hold next to the lamp and cut as you go.